Editorial of the Day (October 29, 1932)

Oct 29, 1932

Editorial of the Day

CAiMPHrORL'S DECLINE.

, D. C., Post.]

In considering the danger of monopolies it is Inter- esting to observe how frequently checks appear to stop excesses even In the most uncontested fields. The story nf camphor Is typical of many another monopoly which held exclusive sway In its line, but which was, nevertheless, subjected to severe trials. In 1860 Japan supplied the entire world demand for camphor by exporting a few dozen tons yearly, which was used for medical purposes. With the discovery of celluloid, however, the demand rose rapidly, until by 1924 the production had Increased to 5,000,000 tons, of which 80 per cent was used In the manufacture of celluloid and photographic film.

Yet camphor s role had not been clear sailing even up to this date. Before the end of the last century synthetic camphor had been discovered and the fac- tories of Germany and Fran-e were on Ute point of breaking the Japanese monopoly, due to the fact that the camphor tree of Formosa, where Japan raised her great camphor crops, has no great yield until It Is about sixty years old. To save their industry C e Japanese tried to buy the entire output of syn- thetic camphor. These negotiations falling, Japan then decided to fight the manufacturers. In 1907 camphor was selling for $2 a pound In Europe, while the artificial variety sold for 50 to 75 cents. By ruthlessly cutting down her trees In Formosa with- out making provision for a second growth Japan threw camphor on the market at GO cents a pound.

Later purchases of the synthetic product put Japan Is a position to boost the price from $G to $30 for fifty pounds. This again turned the chem- ists to research for a substitute, but before one was found the Japanese dropped the price to about 30 cents a pound. By 1912 the camphor trees of For. mosa had been almost annihilated and artificial pro- duction had ceased, so at the outbreak of the war the small remaining stock of camphor, which was wanted for munitions, commanded a high price.

Today various plastic compounds have replaced and even films are manufactured without camphor. Timere Is little demand either for the genu- ine or artificial product, with the result that camphor today has fallen again into its original category as a medicine.